Nintendo Cartridge Society

One thousand episodes! Patrick and Mark celebrate the milestone by turning the show over to you, answering listener questions sent in by email. What does the future of Nintendo look like from here? How did the guys end up making a podcast together for a thousand episodes? What video game goals remain unconquered? Plus, so much more! Thank you to everyone for listening!

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Luigi's Mansion has already haunted the GameCube, the 3DS, and the Switch. This week, Patrick and Mark pitch Luigi's Mansion games for the consoles the series has never touched, going all the way back to the NES and forward to the Switch 2. The guys design a game for every era, trends and hardware gimmicks included.

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Patrick and Mark storm the beaches of Wuhu Island and share their first impressions of both Nintendo Switch Sports Resort and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 on Switch 2. Plus, EA shuts down BioWare after 31 years and cancels the next Mass Effect, the Switch 2 is jailbroken for the first time, and more.

The guys also talk about:

Their continuing adventures in Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave.
A lingering mystery about the Zelda 40th Anniversary Switch 2 special edition is solved.
A permanent Pokemon store is announced for London, the first outside Asia.
Shigeru Miyamoto to become the first game developer to receive Japan's Order of Culture award.

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To celebrate the release of Nintendo Switch Sports Resort on Switch 2, Patrick and Mark are joined by special guest Conner McCabe to definitively rank all of the sports in the Wii Sports series across four games, from Wii Sports and Wii Sports Resort to Nintendo Switch Sports and today's new entry. Where does Thumb Wrestling land on debut, does Bowling deserve its dynasty status, and is Boxing better off having skipped Resort entirely?

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More Perfect Bird Time! Nintendo announces an Expansion Pass for Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave, and Patrick and Mark consider how a three-wave rollout fits into Nintendo's strategy for post-launch content, and what it could add to the Fortune's Weave experience. Plus, previews for The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake reveal the "Hall of Fallen Foes," 007 First Light gets a new release date, and more.

The guys also talk about:

Getting into the paralogues in Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave.
Patrick's impressions of Mario Tennis Fever.
Monster Rancher Advance, Metal Slug Advance, and Kururin Paradise join the Game Boy Advance library on Nintendo Switch Online.
Comments from Nintendo about the chance for Zelda 40th Anniversary special edition restocks.
A free Prologue Demo for Monster Hunter Wilds on Switch 2.
The Wolf Among Us Remastered is delayed indefinitely on Switch.
Xbox emailing lapsed players encouraging them to trade in their console.

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With Wuhu Island back in the spotlight for Nintendo Switch Sports Resort, Patrick and Mark set out to define the Seven Wonders of the Nintendo World. From giant statues to banana hoards and beyond, the guys debate which awe-inspiring Nintendo landmarks make their final seven.

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[RE-UPLOADED so you can actually hear Mark]

With news that Best Buy will be hosting midnight release parties for the Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake, Patrick and Mark try to figure out the level of hype for the game outside of enthusiast circles. Plus, why online Resident Evil is something Capcom keeps trying to crack, EB Games in Toronto gets dedicated Nintendo space, and more.

The guys also talk about:

Working their way through Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave.
An update from Nintendo on those sweet, sweet DK Challenge cards.
The latest Nintendo Switch Online Game Trial.

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Ten years of the podcast! To celebrate, Patrick and Mark look back at Nintendo's 2016, the strange, transitional year before the Switch. Where was Nintendo as a company when the Wii U was winding down and the NX was still a rumor? From Star Fox Zero and Paper Mario: Color Splash to Pokemon Sun and Moon, Nintendo's early mobile efforts, and the reveal of the Nintendo Switch in October, the guys revisit the year's big releases and ask: how does the reality match up with their memories?

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With Nintendo renewing the trademarks for Metroid Prime: Federation Force and Blast Ball (among others), Patrick and Mark discuss when we might see a Metroid spin-off again, or if the realities of modern game development mean that era has passed. Plus, the guys recount trying to buy their Zelda 40th Anniversary Concert tickets, a Halloween-themed Pokemon Pokopia event, and more.

The guys also talk about:

Their continuing adventures in Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave.
A surprise gift for players who completed the DK Challenges on Nintendo Switch Online.
Donkey Kong Bananza's Emerald Rush events going into reruns.
Why aren't more Pokemon games available on Switch?
Capcom's tech presentation about the RE Engine sparks discussion about game development in the age of AI.

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Patrick and Mark take on the challenge making the rounds: the 9 games that shaped who they are. Childhood favorites, life-changers, and the surprising picks that made them who they are today.

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Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave is here and Patrick and Mark share their first impressions of the new Switch 2 exclusive. Plus, code for a mysterious "Event Gifts" system shows up in the Nintendo Switch Online app, Castlevania celebrates its 40th anniversary with (stop me if you've heard this one before) a concert series, and more.

The guys also talk about:

Patrick's ongoing journey with Orbitals.
Splatoon 3's spike in popularity in 2026.
Reports that Ubisoft and Nintendo were once collaborating on a Zelda spin-off starring Ganondorf.

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Patrick and Mark rank the art styles of every mainline Zelda game, from the 8-bit pixel art of the original Legend of Zelda to the embellished details of the new Ocarina of Time on Switch 2, and everything in between. Which visual style suits Hyrule best?

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Special guest-host Conner McCabe (Call Me By Your Game, Super NPC Games Club) stops by to discuss Pokemon rumors, the end of an award they didn't even know was being given out, and insights from developers of Final Fantasy VII Revelation and Splatoon Raiders. Plus, will 007: First Light ever come out on Switch 2? Yes, but always later than you think it will.

The guys also talk about:
The hidden depth of Yoshi's Woolly World
Conner finally wrapping his head around The World Ends With You
Big Walk continuing to reveal new pleasures to Patrick and his buddies
Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave slow start, strange presentation, and undeniable gameplay
Previous winners of Masahiro Sakurai's Game Designer Awards
Metroid Dread being at the top of the eShop charts 6 years after its original release

Check out Send In The Clown on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3766220/Send_In_The_Clown/

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To celebrate the release of Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave, Patrick and Mark settle the great debate: which Fire Emblem game has the best title? Judged on the words alone, no context allowed. From Blazing Blade to Three Houses to Engage, the guys weigh them all and crown a champion.

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Still in a post-Direct stupor, Patrick and Mark round up all of the week's Nintendo news, including variable refresh rate (VRR) coming to the Switch 2 when docked, Nintendo of America's "Customer Appreciation" sale, the GameCube's 25th anniversary, and more.

The guys also talk about:

Trying Star Fox Adventures for the first time.
Patrick plays the Final Fantasy Resonance Demo.
Monster Hunter Wilds and Capcom's pricing strategy with its Switch 2 ports.
The rest of the latest Switch 2 system update, including music coming to the Mii Maker.
A Capcom pop-up store landing in Los Angeles.
A little sidebar into Sony's decision to drop Hideo Kojima's Physint.

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Patrick and Mark react to all the announcements from today's Nintendo Direct, from the official reveal of Metroid Ravenous to Kirby going full open-world in Kirby and the World Beyond. Plus, Capcom continues to show up big with Monster Hunter Wilds, Mega Man, and Resident Evil. Atlus shows up big with Persona and Persona. And any reports of Amiibo's death are greatly exaggerated.

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Lordy lordy, look who's 40! Nintendo threw Hyrule a birthday party, and Patrick and Mark react to everything from the Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct: a deep look at the reborn Ocarina of Time for Switch 2, a worldwide concert series, the Zelda movie's title, and more.

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The predictions? Mild and Wild. The stakes? A trademark NCS Million Dollar Bet. The subject: a September 2026 Nintendo Direct. What do Patrick and Mark expect to see at Nintendo's next Switch 2 presentation? Sure, Nintendo hasn't officially confirmed a Direct for September, but they wouldn't leave the guys hanging like that... would they?

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Patrick is joined by Jeremy Schmidt (Video Games A Comedy Show) to trace how a leak about Just Dance led to Ubisoft possibly leak the date of the next Nintendo Direct. OR DID IT? Plus, Jeremy can't stop playing Xenoblade and Patrick can't stop playing Splatoon.

The guys also talk about:

Final Fantasy VII Revelation being overexposed in games showcases.
Capcom has another banger on their hands with Onimusha: Way of the Sword.
When will Zelda ever feel like the old Zelda again?
A Sonic Mania sequel not being in the works (even though it should be).
New Switch 2 bundles offering deceptive savings.
A late-in-life update for Pikmin 3 Deluxe on Switch 2.
Is Mega Man: Dual Override new enough to stand out or is it retreading old territory?

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Splatoon Month reaches its epic conclusion with a Mega Ranking! Patrick and Mark rank five different aspects of the Splatoon series: from best weapon types to favorite Idols, the top story modes across every game, and more.

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